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Making Up for the Past

How the Oregon Archaeological Society Addresses Its “Collector” Origins

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 February 2022

Patrick O'Grady Open the ORCID record for Patrick O'Grady [Opens in a new window] ,
David L. Minick  and
Daniel O. Stueber
Patrick O'Grady*
Affiliation:
Museum of Natural and Cultural History, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
David L. Minick
Affiliation:
Oregon Archaeological Society, Portland, OR, USA
Daniel O. Stueber
Affiliation:
University of Victoria, Portland, OR, USA
*
([email protected], corresponding author)
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Abstract

In 2015, the Oregon Archaeological Society (OAS) presented statements to Oregon tribes and the Oregon Legislative Commission on Indian Services acknowledging the troubling history of OAS collecting activities and steps taken to transform the OAS, and sought guidance to address continuing tribal concerns. Tribes encouraged both the return of collections and increased public outreach efforts. Their guidance fueled increased effort by the Collection Recovery Committee (OASCRC), which has facilitated the return of five collections to tribal museums and university curation facilities and coordinated digital preservation of documents. The OAS may be the only avocational society in the United States actively engaged in such efforts, accomplished by a small group of volunteers. Case studies of collections, considerations involved in disposition, and the potential for repatriation and research are highlighted. The OAS seeks to halt dispersal and commodification of cultural objects and encourage academic research. Quick action can assure that the original collectors or descendants provide key site and location information. Educational opportunities can be rendered to the heritage community, and we are uniquely positioned to contribute to that service.

En 2015, la junta de la Sociedad Arqueológica de Oregón (SAO) presentó una declaración a las nueve tribus reconocidas a nivel federal de Oregón y un testimonio público ante la Comisión Legislativa de Servicios para Indígenas de Oregón. Reconoció la historia preocupante de las actividades de recolección de la SAO, identificó los pasos dados para transformar la SAO y buscó orientación para abordar las continuas preocupaciones tribales. Las tribus fomentaron la devolución de colecciones de objetos culturales y un aumento del esfuerzo de divulgación pública de la sociedad. Su orientación impulsó un mayor esfuerzo por parte del Comité de Recuperación de Colecciones (SAOCRC), formado en 2014. El SAOCRC ha facilitado la devolución de cinco colecciones a los museos tribales y las instalaciones de conservación universitaria y la preservación digital coordinada de documentos. La SAO puede ser la única sociedad vocacional estadounidense que participa activamente en tales esfuerzos, logrados por un pequeño grupo de voluntarios. Se destacan estudios de caso sobre los tipos de colecciones, la gama de consideraciones involucradas en la búsqueda de su disposición más adecuada y el potencial que ofrecen para la repatriación y la investigación. La SAO busca frenar la dispersión y mercantilización de los objetos culturales y fomentar la investigación académica. Actuar rápidamente puede asegurar que los coleccionistas originales o descendientes proporcionen información clave sobre el sitio y la ubicación. Se pueden brindar oportunidades educativas a la comunidad del patrimonio y estamos en una posición única para contribuir a ese servicio.

Keywords

tribal relationsrespectcollectorcurationrepatriationcultural objectscommodificationpublic serviceheritage preservationpublic outreachrelaciones tribalesrespetocoleccionistaconservaciónrepatriaciónobjetos culturalesmercantilizaciónservicio públicoconservación del patrimoniodivulgación pública
Type
Article
Information
Advances in Archaeological Practice , Volume 10 , Special Issue 1: Professional–Collector Collaboration: Moving beyond Debate to Best Practice , February 2022 , pp. 101 - 113
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for American Archaeology

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